CLEVELAND, Tenn. - The no-kill shelter operated by the SPCA of Bradley County has stopped accepting animals and Director Bobbi Anderson said its contract with the county needs to be renegotiated.

Anderson said the shelter, which serves county residents under an $80,000 agreement with Bradley County, cannot realistically function as a no-kill operation with an open admission policy with such limited funds.

"Bills rise and the more animals you get, the more disease, the more money [it takes]," she said. "It's not possible."

She said she is taking this measure to prevent overcrowding and avoid having to euthanize animals for space.

"This community doesn't understand the necessity for disease control and when you reach a certain capacity, disease runs rampant and they [the animals] are going to die anyway," said Anderson.

Bradley County Commissioner Charlotte Peak-Jones, who serves as one of the county's representatives on the SPCA board, expressed surprise over Anderson's decision.

"My understanding is that contract will not be up for renegotiation until next year," she said.

The SPCA of Bradley County will have a special called meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Bradley County Courthouse.